Sunday, July 29, 2018

Email noventa y siete

June 25, 2018
Well folks this weeks ain’t gonna be super long because I spent a few hour writing the email I was supposed to send last week.

This week was a test of faith for sure. We have been doing a lot of knocking doors and street contacting, without much success. It felt like everywhere we went someone had gone before us and told them the Mormons where coming through and not to talk to them, because almost everyone we talked to wanted nothing to do with us. Two different times, people we walked up just started saying bye in till we walked away. I’m pretty used to getting rejected, but for some reason the rejection was more harsh and more frequent than usual, and it really got me down. I got super discouraged this week, and sorta dragged my feet a little bit. However, we did see a couple miracles this week. Elder Brinkerhoff came up from Holly Springs on Wednesday and did an exchange with me, and we met a 24 year old kid named B, and he’s awesome! We knocked on his door and he said right away he has been looking to get back into a church. He said he got out of church because of some bad experiences. His life has really gone downhill since a family member passed away when he was a teenager. He is looking to strengthen his relationship with God, and he wants to better himself. He believes we are all children of God and that this life is to practice for the life to come. He’s really excited to meet with us! I had talked to his brother's girlfriend my first week in Southaven, and that house had always just stuck in my mind for some reason, so I thought: “why not?” We’re hoping we can see him this week.

Unfortunately we couldn’t see V this week, but we’re hoping to get her to church soon.

From Friday to Sunday we had exchanges with the Assistants, and I paired off with Elder Smalling. That’s right, we have almost the same name. When we talked to people and they asked for our names their reactions were so funny! I actually sat next to him on the plane from the MTC, and he had his mind blown because he saw his own house after taking off. He’s incredible, such a powerful missionary! He talks to absolutely everyone that he sees, and he knows Preach My Gospel and the scriptures so well. He definitely helped me out a ton, and we were able to meet a lot of awesome people, without ever leaving our apartment complex because we literally talked to everyone! When he left on the mission, his family wasn’t active, but he’s been able to email some ward leaders and coordinate some fellowship that has pulled them back into activity. So cool! It just shows that people just need a friend sometimes.

While on exchanges with Elder Smalling, we did splits with Southaven 2, and I went with Elder Garn. We found a really cool family. The parents are named Jenny and Chris. We talked to them about the Book of Mormon, and I felt impressed to give the son a Bible, turns out that day was his 10th birthday and he was really excited to have a birthday present. I marked it in the Gospel of John and told him to read the Book of John. The parents absolutely loved it, no better way to win over a southern family than giving their son a free bible for his birthday! They really are a beautiful family with a well off home, I’m really excited for Elder Garn and Elder Caringer to work with them.

T is now on track to be baptized July 7!

It’s absolutely ridiculous that my best friend, Elder Stallings goes home in two days...good thing I don’t go home for a while...haha...

Love y’all!

Email noventa y seis

June 18, 2018

Sorry about last week. Zone P-day activity sucked up the whole day, and I realized at 4:45 I hadn’t emailed anything. A few details from 2 weeks ago that I’ll include in this week’s email:

Tuesday we went down to Oxford to attend the Oxford District Meeting and do exchanges with the Oxford Elders. I stayed in Oxford with Elder Sagel. Oxford has quite the reputation in this mission. It’s the home of the University of Mississippi commonly known as Ole Miss. Missionaries usually freak out about going there because there are a ton of gorgeous college girls that go to Ole Miss, that typically do not dress very modestly at all. The girls there wear booty shorts that are a lot more booty than shorts...so yeah maybe not the best place for 19 year olds trying to keep their hearts locked. Lucky for me, I went down after Spring Semester had ended, so campus looked like a ghost town, and there were only a handful of questionably dressed girls in downtown Oxford, so I didn’t have to worry about that stuff as much. Elder Sagel is from Canada. He goes home in two weeks. In the last few months, he has really turned his mission around. For most of my time knowing him, he was really struggling with obedience, but know he’s going home obedient and with a strong testimony of the Savior, I’m proud of that kid.

Elder Caringer, a greenie here in Southaven who’s been out 4 weeks, and I also went on exchanges. Elder Caringer grew up in Denver and Ohio, and is a very cool guy. He loves to work out, and we go to the gym every morning with him and Elder Garn. I really enjoyed spending time with him.

Well we had a little exchange miracle. I have not baptized a Hispanic my whole mission, and have been praying that the Lord would make that possible for me in these last two transfers. On Thursday, while on exchanges with Elder Caringer, we got a call from our apartment office asking us to help a lady move in. Turns out she is from Guatemala, and her name is V. She told us to follow her to a storage shed to get some furniture. As we followed her we realized we were leaving the area, the storage shed turned out to be over by the Olive Branch Elders apartment. However, we felt the Spirit of the law confirm that we were okay to proceed.

After getting two very heavy couches moved in, we talked to her and told her who we were. She said she had seen missionaries all over in Las Vegas but had never talked to them. She said she recently had a divorce, and she needs to get closer to God, develop a relationship with Him, and help her children do the same. We set an appointment for the next day, and brought a Spanish speaking member who lives in the apartment building literally across from her.

We taught the Plan of Salvation and she loved the doctrine of the Spirit World and that families are forever in the Celestial Kingdom. The same member and his wife stopped by her place and left cookies, and their kids get along really well. This last Thursday we came back and visited her with Bishop, which went really well. We taught her the Restoration and invited her to be baptized and she said yes but we didn’t invite her to commit to a date. She said she might come to church, but might doesn’t get you very far, so we didn’t see her on Sunday. Right now she is on the belief step and we need to get her to the next step of Action, which means we need to invite more boldly by the Spirit. It’s probably a blessing that she didn’t come yesterday since it was Father’s Day, which might be a sensitive subject since she recently divorced.

Zone Pday was pretty fun. The whole zone met up at a park in Southaven. Elder Cepeda and I bought 64  hotdogs and buns, and brought a tiny little charcoal grill we found in the apartment. We were pretty dang excited, but our barbecue turned to be an epic failure. For whatever reason, we couldn’t keep the coals lit. Eventually Elder Caringer got fed up, and dosed it in way too much lighter fluid. When he lit it, half of his arm hair was immediately incinerated in a big ball of fire. We laughed so hard it made up for the fact that we didn’t have hot dogs to eat. At least the Oxford Elders brought a giant watermelon that was super delicious. Being in the south has only enhanced my love for watermelon. Afterwards we played kickball, softball, and ultimate frisbee.

It was so dang hot outside, and we were sweating buckets, and we had only brought one case of water bottles, which was gone real quick. All of us were dying of thirst so we went to the church to play basketball and email to end the day. In my case I lost track of time and just played basketball, so again I apologize.

Then the Senatobia Elders, Elder Miller and Elder Stewart, stayed the night with us. They are really good missionaries. Elder Stewart is from Gunnison, Utah. He is a total cowboy, literally. He rode broncos at home, and got sponsored by a clothing company named total cowboy. Elder Miller is from Orem, and looks exactly like Andrew Garfield, the actor who plays Peter Parker in the Amazing Spider-Man. I was in Memphis when he started his mission in an apartment just a 5 minute walk from us. We used to go over to their apartment in the mornings and work out with him and his trainer, Elder Raish, so we got pretty close. I missed him for sure when I got transferred to Dardenelle, so it’s been fun to be his Zone Leader. The next morning, we got up early to work out together, and then headed to Zone Conference. Elder Perkins of the Seventy was presiding at Zone Conference. He is a very spiritual man (of course) and definitely helped the mission out. The big message was that we need to become more powerful teachers, use Preach My Gospel more, and role play more.

The next day was MLC, in which Elder Perkins was also present. He instructed us about faith, and how to turn faith into power, extremely insightful. To have a basic belief, we must hear the word of God. To have faith, we must act. To have a witness, we must endure a trial. To have power, we must have zero doubt and fear. I have a lot of doubt and fear I need to work on.

Yesterday in sacrament meeting, I was thinking about how grateful I am to have such a great Father. As we sang the closing hymn, O My Father, a memory came to my mind of right before I left on my mission. I was writing my farewell talk in my room, and my dad came down to check on me. I read to him part of my talk to see what he thought, and when I looked up, I saw he was crying. As I remembered that experience yesterday I began to weep, so much that I could hardly sing. In that moment I felt how much he loves me and is proud of me. I’m so grateful for a Father that loves the Lord, honors his Priesthood, and has taught me to do the same.

Well I’m out of time! Love y’all!

Pics:
  • Saying goodbye to Elder Merrill, my face looks extremely greasy in this one lol!
  • The Spanish speaking gang, Elder Díaz showed up because he missed the Arkansas Zone Conference!
  • America vs. Mexico
  • Titus at church on Sunday
  • Ben Johnson, a kid from the Ward that left on his mission this week, it’s crazy that the class of 18 is already leaving on missions!A

Email noventa y cinco

June 11, 2018
Well folks zero time today! Had a really fun Zone P-day, so we were running all over the place, I’ll hit y’all up with a good one next week!











Email noventa y cuatro

June 4, 2018  
Hey folks. I’m currently sitting in a Firestone waiting for them to replace our tire. So I’ll see if I can crank this baby out in 20 minutes.

We had a good week.

I went to Holly Springs, Mississippi, and did exchanges with Elder Billman. He’s a very good Elder. He’s an Idaho farm boy who was born to serve in Holly Springs because so many farmers live in that area. We met with a young farmer named Wesley who said he didn’t have time on Sundays to go church because he needs to work on the farm. Elder Billman wasn’t taking it. “I know that isn’t true because I’m a farmer, and all we did on Sundays was feed the cows!” It was pretty funny, we had a good laugh about it, and Wesley committed to come to church.

 Two different of our investigators, T and T, came to church. Each of them
got rides from members, which was really awesome. I’m so grateful for members that are willing to help us out. It definitely makes life a whole lot easier on us. We are really excited about T. He has a baptismal date for the 23rd of June, and he loved church. He said he’s going to be a regular of the Southaven Ward. He doesn’t have any big concerns, other than the fact that he lives in in one of of the sketchiest parts of Memphis, Whitehaven, which is in our area. A huge part of our area extends into the southeast part of Memphis, all the way to the Mississippi River. Anyways, we got T a large print triple
combination, and he is super excited to read it. He has already read the Book of Mormon all the way through, several times over the years. Somehow, he had never met missionaries before, wanting to know more about the church for years and years, until he saw a pop up ad for the church a month ago. We are going to meet with him tonight at 7:30.

Well a lot more happened this week, but I’m out of time! Love y’all!



Pics:
  • Saying goodbye to Elder Alonzo, forgot to send this last week.
  • Saying goodbye to Elder Short and Elder Diaz, they are in Arkansas so I won’t see them again💔😢
  • District Meeting
  • My shoe laces are toast haha
  • Putting on a spare tire, ran over a nail this week
  • Elder Cepeda and I are gonna get huge!

Email noventa y tres: Southeaven

May 28, 2018 
This email will be kinda lame, because I have 10 minutes to type (emails have to be done by 5 now).

But just know this, I love it here. Southaven is awesome, and serving with Elder Cepeda has been so much fun.

I never really said this, but the Dardanelle apartment is probably the worst apartment in the whole mission. It’s tiny, smells like cigarettes and garbage, has no washer or dryer, and infested with cockroaches. I just kinda dealt with it because I felt like getting a new apartment was too much work.

The apartment here in Southaven is heaven compared to that place. It’s clean, has two bathrooms, has plenty of space, and is pretty much everything I could ask for. The only problem is it smells like
old people, but hey, I can’t complain coming from Dardanelle.

Elder Cepeda is hilarious. I don’t even know how to describe this kid. He reminds me of McKay, if McKay was Mexican and less sarcastic haha.

We were teaching an investigator named T that has serious depression. He is very poor and unable to work, and he doesn’t have a car. In order to go get food, he has to walk for hours to the
store, and he hardly has enough money to buy any food. He said he felt like Jesus doesn’t know how he feels, because He lived 2000 thousand years ago. He’s prayed for years and years that God will
help him get over his depression and quit smoking, and nothing has changed. I turned to Matthew chapter 26 and read to him about the Savior’s suffering in Gethsemane, and how in that moment Christ felt every pain, sorrow, sickness, and sin that any human being has ever gone through. The Savior even said in the beginning of his agony “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me:
nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” The Savior asked if there was another way, but for Him, there was no other way. His will was swallowed up in the will of the Father. I encouraged T to trust in the Father’s will and plan.

I testified that the Savior knows exactly how he feels. It was one of the most powerful teaching moments on my mission, I saw a new in T’s eyes, a new hope. Man I love the mission.

I’m out of time, love y’all!

Pics!

We are out of miles this month so we have to bike! Now we have to wear biking vests in the mission as a rule so included below are before and after photos of biking in 95 degrees😂

Email noventa y dos: Mississippi bound

May 21, 2018 
Well I’ll start off with the biggest news since I’ve got a lot to do today.

K got baptized on Sunday! We were able to finish teaching him the lessons this week, and his interview was on Friday since he was out of town on Saturday. He had been living in Ola with his sister for the last month, but this last Tuesday he moved into his own trailer.

The service went really well. President Hall gave a talk on baptism. He said that any good stool needs at least three legs to be sturdy. Baptism is the same way. It’s three legs are 1) it must be done by complete immersion in water 2) it must be done at an age when the person is accountable for their sins and 3) it must be done by someone with Priesthood authority. I thought that was cool.

K asked me to baptize him. When I put him done, I was so occupied in making sure he went all the way under, that I nearly went with him. I started to fall, but I recovered and was able to get him back up. We had a good laugh about it after the service. I love the sweet spirit there is after a baptism. I felt it after K’s just like I felt it after J’s. I’m so blessed to have taught both of them the Gospel and helped both of them make it back to Heavenly Father.


On Saturday President called me and assigned me to be a Zone Leader. I was surprised, since
President had said that he was going to call younger Zone Leaders so he wouldn’t have to release a ton of us when 30 missionaries go home this Summer. But he said the Spirit was very adamant that this was where I was needed.

Saturday night we got the transfer list and I found out I will be going to Southaven Mississippi! I will be serving with Elder Cepeda! He is from Matamoros Mexico, just across the border from Brownsville Texas! I am way excited to serve with him because I was worried that going Zone Leader would make me lose my ability to speak Spanish fluently that I’ve picked up over the last year and a half, but with him I’ll make sure we speak only Spanish since he already speaks fluent English. The cool thing about Elder Cepeda is He came out to the field a few transfers before me. I actually stayed the night in his apartment in Little Rock my first night in Arkansas when I left the MTC. When I was 6 months out, Elder Cepeda tore his ACL playing basketball, so he went home for 6 months. So I actually go home 3 months before him. He also served in Dardanelle when I was in Russellville, so we know each other pretty well and go way back. There are also a lot of Hispanics in Southaven, so we will be able to work in both languages.

Yesterday morning before planning, Elder Alonzo and I drove out to the Arkansas river. There is sand along the shore right by the bridge that goes to Russellville, who’d a thought I’d get to go to the beach on my mission in Arkansas? Anyways it’s a really pretty, peaceful place, especially on a Sunday morning. I sat on the sand with my feet in the water and just thought about the last 21 months, and about the next 3 months, and the last 4 months specifically. I’m forever grateful to have served in this beautiful place. This area in particular has taught me so much about who I am and who I want to become. It’s changed my life forever. I’m especially grateful to have served with Elder Alonzo. He’s such a good kid. I’ve made a friend for life in him. I was called to be his trainer, but let’s be honest, he trained me. He’s gonna do awesome things on his mission.

I’m nervous and excited, and definitely feel the added responsibility on my shoulders, I’m determined to lead by a good example and finish up my mission on fire. If any of you have noticed, ever since I got started, I have made very few references to how long I’ve been out and how long I have left, mainly because I don’t want to think about it, and if I do think about it, I don’t want other people to know I’m thinking about it haha. So I’ve kind of avoided it my whole mission. But this last week I really came to terms with the fact that I don’t have very much time left. Less than 3 months now. It’s really scary. I never understood why people said coming home is scary. But it’s not that actually going back to your house you lived in before the mission and seeing your family again is scary, in fact that’s the only thing that isn’t scary about it. That’s the one thing I’m looking forward to. What’s scary is schooling and choosing a career. What’s scary is having to be a normal person again, living in an extremely wicked world, with temptations and bad influences at every corner.

However, what’s comforting to know is I am firmly rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Only His true Gospel can bring us peace. As the song says: “When there’s no peace on earth, there is peace in Christ.”

Now I have to pack! Wish me luck! Love y’all!

Email noventa y uno

May 14, 2018 
This week was a dandy.

Talking to the family yesterday was incredible. I could hardly believe this was the last Skype call
home. It feels like I talked to them on Christmas just a minute ago.

We had a good week. We were able to visit SM again on Saturday and Skype her daughter into the lesson again. We taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ, focusing on repentance, because Shelly has expressed a sincere desire to change. One thing I’ve come to understand on the mission is the true meaning of repentance. Usually we think of repentance of this big awful word with a negative connotation, but to repent simply means to change. To change for the better, to forsake our sins and turn to God. It was a very spiritual lesson, and Shelly was very emotional. She accepted our invitation to be baptized, and said she will start looking for another job where she has Sundays off. We talked to President Hall and he told us that employers are legally obligated to allow employees to attend church because of some Equal Opportunity Act or something like that.

Brother and Sister Hall came to the lesson with us. They are retired, and Brother Hall is hilarious. We went to his place on Thursday to do service and help him clean out his garage, and afterwards we burned all the stuff we were throwing out. The fire was pretty slow getting started, so Brother Hall threw a Doctor Pepper bottle full of gasoline on it, and within seconds it was blazing. Brother Hall walked away and came back with two milk jugs full of gas and Sister Hall started telling him to stop and that it wasn’t necessary. Brother Hall just said “Babe, it’s not about what you want, it’s about what you need.”, as he two both jugs on, and the fire erupted into enormous flames. We were dying laughing!

Anyways I’m out of time, sorrry this email was lame!

I love y’all, have a wonderful week!

Went fishing this morning!

Email noventa: week of miracles

May 7, 2018 
Howdy everyone!

As I said last Monday, we spent most of the day in Little Rock. After the Musical Tribute, we stayed the night with the Little Rock Spanish South Elders: Elder Brinkerhoff and Elder Padilla.
Elder Padilla was in Russellville my first transfer here in Dardanelle. Elder Padilla is from Peru, and he is crazy. I think I've said a bit about him before. He loves care bears, as well as the movie The Purge. He has My Little Pony bed sheets. He was a professional model in Peru, and also a food eating contest champion. He's also learning English.

During the Musical Tribute, we sang the song He is Risen, but Elder Padilla thought we were saying "He is Racist.", so that's what he sang. He told us that night at the apartment and we all died laughing. You have to love that kid. He's so weird it makes you love him. Then he told us the story of the war between Chile and Peru. It's funny because he was companions with Elder Gonzalez right before Elder Gonzalez, who is from Chile, went home. He said they argued about it all the time. Also, his current companion, Elder Brinkerhoff, is half-chilean and they argue about it to. Basically the argument is over who won. It's hilarious because Elder Padilla is absolutely adamant that Peru won. Chile apparently stole a Peruvian battle ship and claimed they won, but Elder Padilla said they cheated. I don't remember all the details of the story, but it was hilarious.

Then the next morning we went to a trampoline park in Little Rock with the whole Benton Zone. It was way fun! It was definitely one on the funnest things I've done for a Pday. They had a dunk ball court, so I had a blast trying to throw down all kinds of crazy dunks. After wards we went and played kickball at a park, and that was a blast as well.

Then Brother and Sister Hall from the Branch came and picked us up to take us back to Dardanelle.
On Tuesday we were able to meet with Jared. We went to the park and shot hoops for a few minutes, then we sat down and taught him the Restoration. The poor kid has a lot of doubts. He questions if Jesus Christ is real. I think I talked way too much and should have listened more. He took a copy of the Book of Mormon and said he would "try" to read it, which to me after 20 months means I'm not gonna read a word of this. But hey, hopefully he does and we can meet with him again.

On Thursday we were able to help R move his stuff out the house we helped him and P move into. That night we were finally able to teach them. P is Sister T's niece. P's mother was attending church with Sister T and reading the Book of Mormon. We asked P why she wanted to meet with us, and she said that since her mother passed away, she has felt her mother pushing her to investigate the church. Super cool! We taught the Restoration and testified powerfully over and over again that the Book of Mormon is the only way they can know if this is the truth and invited them to be baptized. They looked at each other and P asked R "Do you know what they just asked us?" And R said "I think I want to read the Book first." I laughed and said "We want you to read the Book first too." They have a ton of potential!

We also got a referral for SM, a referral from her daughter, Sister AM, who is serving in the Idaho Boise mission. We taught the Restoration and it went really well. Her daughter skyped in and helped teach about the Book of Mormon. The only thing stopping her from being baptized is that she works on Sundays and is living with her boyfriend.

K came to church yesterday, and R came to the Spanish Branch sacrament meeting, FINALLY. We had dinner with him and his wife and taught his wife about the Book of Mormon. She is very Catholic and has lots of really hard questions. She asked how Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, so Elder Alonzo taught her about the Urim and Thummin, and did an incredible job teaching it. She totally understood and accepted his response, especially after he used the Old Testament to show references to the Urim and Thummin. Elder Alonzo is an incredible missionary, I can hardly believe how well he teaches at 3 months out. He's training me.

We also had a lady named C walk up to us and ask us who we were and where our church is. She told us she had a miscarriage just barely and is looking for peace. We said a prayer for her, and gave her a Book of Mormon. We have a lesson with her and her boyfriend F at 5.

Also President Hall sent us a golden referral yesterday. DARDANELLE IS ON FIRE! It has been so cool to watch the work progress as we work hard and talk to as many people as we can, the Lord literally just gives us prepared people. This is his work. I'm so grateful to be a part of it. I love y'all, have a wonderful week!

Email ochenta y nueve

May 7, 2018 
Hey y'all. Tried to send this last week on the way back from Little Rock, but the signal on our hotspot wasn't strong enough. Enjoy!

Well folks this email isn't going to be super long. Believe it or not, the longer you're out on a mission, the harder it gets to email every week. My motivation is just about shot, but for my mother's sake, because she actually reads these and emails me every single week (usually several times), I shall endure to the end.

And on top of that we've been in Little Rock all day. I went to my last musical tribute last night. I had a speaking part where I recited the 11th and 12th paragraph of Jesus the Christ:

"We declare in words of solemnity that His priesthood and His Church have been restored upon the earth--“built upon the foundation of … apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20).

We testify that He will someday return to earth. “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:5). He will rule as King of Kings and reign as Lord of Lords, and every knee shall bend and every tongue shall speak in worship before Him. Each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts."

I absolutely love the power of those words.

The week started out with a bang, and by that, I mean, President Hansen and the Assistants roasted us at Zone Conference. Apparently, there has has been a lot of issues in other parts of the Zone that we had no idea about, so President went off for two hours talking about how we need to stop being casual and support our leaders. Then we took turns, sitting in a circle, as every single member of the Zone expressed what they thought was wrong with the Zone. It was pretty intense, with a lot of tears. Like I said I had no idea any of this was going on. Sister Hansen came up to our District after the meeting and told us we weren't the problem. But the whole time, I was thinking "Lord is it I?" I realized that I have been way too casual lately. In the way I talk with other missionaries, and my attitude towards the work. I have some repenting to do.

On Thursday, we had exchanges with the Russellville Elders, I was with Elder Bybee. Elder Bybee is Guatemalan, but was adopted by old white people and grew up in Arizona. He came to the mission not knowing a lick of Spanish, and he's been out 8 months and his Spanish is still pretty rough. It's hilarious because everyone expects him to speak perfectly, and then they get so confused once he starts talking. He's hilarious and I love the kid to death. He also knows my friend Megan Thomson from the MTC so that's neat. Anyways he sprained his ankle so he's been in a boot for a minute.

He and I spent all day in Ola, a pretty small town of about 2 thousand. We talked to everyone who couldn't run away from us, and met a lot of cool people. Missionary work is easy when you simply have the guts to open your mouth. Yes, you will get rejected by some, probably most, but who cares, so was the Son of God.

We met with Kenny at a park in Ola and saw some kids playing basketball. There were 4 of them, so I asked Kenny if he wanted to to play 3 on 3. He was reluctant at first, he said he didn't really feel like it, surprising because he loves basketball, but I convinced him, and we ended up having a blast. All of them were 15 or 16. They were playing full court and listening to not very appropriate music, but two miracles occurred. One of them was that one of the kids had to go home, so Elder Bybee jumped in with his boot, so we played half court in accordance with mission rules. Also, they turned off the music. I played a lot of basketball a lot growing up, and I'm not half bad, so we whooped 'em pretty good. They asked which high school I played for, and I said I'm from Utah haha. I was able to share a quick Restoration message with them, and one of them, named J, who happens to be Hispanic, seemed pretty interested, so we got his contact info and hopefully he will answer his phone so we can meet with him again! It was a really cool experience using non traditional methods to share the Gospel!

Anyways everything here is going good. Unfortunately R said we are welcome to come by anytime, but he will not allow us to baptize his mother, M. We have been praying the Lord will soften his heart.

The Lord truly has borne me up on my mission. He's made me strong when I feel weak. He's been there when no one else could understand what I go through. I know Jesus is the Christ, the very Son of God. I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve Him. I'm certainly grateful for the time I have left to do it better than I ever have before.

Have a wonderful week, love y'all!


Elder Jonathan Spencer Smalley
Arkansas Little Rock Mission

Email ochenta y ocho


April 23, 2018 
I've realized I haven't told very much about my companion Elder Alonzo. I love this kid. He grew up in Guatemala City until he was 18. He grew up not knowing his dad, who left his mom when he was a baby. He was raised by his Grandpa and his mother, who both met the missionaries and were baptized when he was a year old. His grandpa owned a few farms and made a good living. Elder Alonzo grew up with a better life than most people in Guatemala. They had a nice home and he drove a nice car as a teenager. On top of that he met a girl named Sandy, who noticed that he as a member of the church was different than the other kids at their catholic charter school. They started dating, and life was pretty much perfect. He had it all. Then some of the gangs in Guatemala City started pressuring his family for money because they knew they had it well off. The threats started getting worse and worse, and pretty soon Elder Alonzo and his mother feared for their lives. They applied for visas to come to the United States, and miraculously they were accepted in just a few months. They went straight to Oklahoma City, where his sister and brother in law were living. They had to start life all over again. Elder Alonzo started working in painting houses. He hadn't planned on going on a mission until 3 years later, when some full time missionaries sat down with him at a family home evening and talked to him about serving a mission. One Elder said that he had to forget about himself and learn to make sacrifices. The Spirit touched his heart, and three months later, he was in the mission home in Little Rock Arkansas.


He and I get along really really well. He's always super happy. He's like a little Guatemalan Ewok. He has a great sense of humor, and he is very obedient, and loves missionary work.

This week I read becoming a consecrated missionary by Tad R Callister. I've read it several times before, but this time probably impacted me the most. It was a wake up call for me. It talks about certain things that we as missionaries need to put on the sacrificial altar. It talks about putting our fears on the altar, and opening our mouth in all times in all places.

"First, we can leave our fears on the sacrificial altar and open our mouths with everyone. I recognize there may be multiple reasons why someone doesn’t open his mouth at all times and in all places—why he holds back a part of the offering. It could be a timid personality, or a fear of man, or a streak of laziness, but whatever the reason may be, it is never ever good enough. It never outweighs the Savior’s command which states: “At all times and in all places he shall open his mouth and declare my gospel as with the voice of a trump both day
and night.” And then comes the promise to all those who do: “And I will give unto him strength such as is not known among men” (DC 24:12). This injunction is repeated again and again in the scriptures On another occasion the Lord said, “And thou must open thy mouth at all times” (D&C 28:16). And yet again, “Lift up your voice and spare not” (DC 34:10). As to those who are unwilling to do so, the Lord warned: “But with some I am not well pleased, for they will not open their mouths but they hide the talent which I have given unto them because of the fear of men” (DC 60:2)

Sometimes in life we just have to square our shoulders and do it. There is no magic pill that makes us courageous, no passage of time that strengthens us, no memorized approach that emboldens us. We are left only with the compelling counsel of King Benjamin: “And now, if ye believe all these things, see that ye do them” (Mosiah 4:19).

Years ago, my grandfather was serving as the president of the Rotterdam Branch in Holland. He told of a woman who came to him destitute, who had earned the equivalent of an American quarter for the entire week. She asked if she needed to pay tithing. He looked at her for a minute in her impoverished condition, and then said: “Sister, if this were my church, I would not take your tithing. But this is not my church; it is the Lord’s church, and tithing is a principle upon which blessings of the Lord are predicated.” (LeGrand Richards Speaks, P. 185.) She paid her tithing.

If I could, I would exempt some who struggle from opening their mouth. I know how hard it is for them, but I cannot. The command to open one’s mouth is not my command. It is not the command of Preach My Gospel, it is not the command of the missionary department, it is the command of the Lord who has spoken on this subject again and again through his living prophets. Sometimes, we have to be like Nephi and say, “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandment unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them” (1 Nephi 3:7). Sometimes we must do more than tell the stories of the Book of Mormon; we must live them."

It was incredibly humbling to read. I've been an incredible fearful missionary. For some reason I have no problem talking to Hispanics, but with Americans it seems so much harder. Hispanics are usually friendlier and easier to approach as a stranger. After reading though, I realized it is no excuse.

Since then, I've tried my best to talk to everyone. I've still chickened out a couple times, but I'm trying, and I've already seen a lot of blessings. First off, I've been a lot happier.

Well, I'm out of time, but I love y'all! The work here is going great. I love being a missionary. Have a wonderful week!

We got a brand new Malibu

Email ochenta y siete

April 16, 2018 
On Tuesday we went over to see J. We were worried about her because as I mentioned last week, she found out during church that her sister had passed away. We visited with her and just let her talk for a while. It seemed to really help her.

We were invited to go to the funeral. It was on Thursday morning at a small Baptist church out in the country. I was a little nervous pulling up, because here we were, two Mormon missionaries showing up to a Baptist church, to meet all of J's family, who is either Baptist or Pentecostal, and skeptical about the church. As we walked over, I thought of the scripture "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7). So I went in with an open mind and a positive attitude. We were quickly able to find K and J and talk with them for a minute. I had decided to wear my nicest suit, along with my nicest tie. I was surprised to see that we one of very few people dressed formally. As we talked to K, his cousin, JC, came over and talked to us. JC proved to be a gold mine. He asked us right away if we could come visit him and his family out in Ola. He also was the key to us getting to know a lot of the family. He introduced us to his whole family and also several of his other relatives. The service was held outside and graveside. J had decided that she would stay in the car, because she could hardly bear to be next to the casket. So C drove up close enough with earshot to hear the service. A Baptist preacher spoke at the service. He talked about Psalms chapter 23, J's sister's favorite scripture.

"1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."

The preacher talked about a lot of good things, how to truly know the Lord as our shepherd, we have to live righteous lives. He also talked about how in life we have difficult times so that we can depend upon Christ to carry us through those times.

Though what he was preaching was good, his delivery was different than what we as Latter Day Saints are accustomed to. He was literally shouting. From the way he was shouting, he almost came off in an angry way. It was a little scary to listen to. How grateful I am for the manner of reverence there is in the Church. When talks, sermons, and testimonies are shared, we do not need to shout. The whisperings of the Spirit are sufficient to penetrate our hearts, if we but put forth the effort to hear them.

After the services, we drove to a park where we had a picnic. The relief society provided the food. While there, we had the opportunity to meet almost all of J's family! It was really really fun! A lot of them are super redneck and really funny, so I had a good time joking around with them. They are very nice people. So I have a reputation with J for eating all the brownies every time we have a pot luck at church. So this time, J went ahead and gave me the whole plate right away. K chimed in and said I couldn't eat the whole plate, so I challenged him to a game of one on one; the winner would get the plate of brownies. There were some basketball courts at the park, and someone just happened to bring a ball. I wasn't going to lose those brownies. I took em home after winning 20-10.

The crazy thing was that very night, we ran into JC and his family in Ola. They were visiting with some friends at their friends house. JC invited us in right away, so we got to meet everyone. JC said: "the first thing you need to know about us is that we are REDNECKS!" They definitely fit the stereotype. We really enjoyed talking to them, they are hilarious. Their friend they call Grandpa, he is 74 years old and absolutely insane. We laughed our heads off.

J and K came to the musical tribute in Conway last night, and they loved it! Right we are trying to find new investigators, so pray for us!

Love y'all, have a wonderful week!

No pics this week! I'll make sure to take some next week!

Sunday, July 1, 2018

Email ochenta y seis: two decades on earth

April 9, 2018
Yesterday was my 20th birthday. I had to keep reminding myself it was my birthday. In fact, I would forget throughout most of the day until someone wished me a happy birthday. I woke up, and thought, wow, I'm officially not a teenager.

Elder Alonzo brought me milk and his last four chips ahoy cookies immediately after I finished my personal prayer, but unfortunately I had to remind him it was fast Sunday. I still appreciated the gesture though, because he knows how much I love those things.

Then I opened up presents. I got some sweet socks, one pair with the outline of the Provo temple on them, and another with the Salt Lake temple, I was pretty pumped about that. We drove down to Danville, and attended Sacrament meeting, the word got out that it was my birthday pretty quick. I was able to tell Joyce the transfer news: I'll be staying in Dardanelle another transfer! Joyce was so happy to hear I was staying. President had told me I would be leaving in April, so I told Joyce long before hand that I would be leaving. As time got closer to the transfer, she would cry almost every time I came over, saying how much she would miss me. So she was very very happy to hear I will be here at least another month and a half.

She's been going through a rough time. She found out Sunday that her sister passed away after being in a coma for a few days. A couple weeks ago, her step-daughter passed away as well. And her parents passed away this time of year a couple years ago. She says the Lord is the only thing keeping her functional at this point.

After sacrament meeting we had to go to Russellville and pick up the Russellville Spanish Elders, Elder Bybee and Elder Lawrence, and drive to North Little Rock. Then from North Little Rock, we had the office Elders drive us to Jacksonville, where we participated in another Musical tribute, just like the ones we went to back in October. 70 or so of us missionaries sang songs related to the Restoration and Easter. The Spirit was definitely super powerful, especially as we sang
We cooked that!
a rendition of a medley of Amazing Grace and My Chains are Gone. The power of the Atonement really became real to me as I sang. I think I sang more beautifully than I ever have in my life last night, and I have no idea how, because usually my voice is no bueno.

After the tribute on the way back to Little Rock in the van, Elder Armstrong, our Zone Leader played the ukelele and we took turns free style rapping to the beat. It was honestly so fun and we laughed our heads off. I started this rap about Bible bashing preachers that was pretty good. Then all of a sudden, Elder Lawrence chimes in. Let's just say: Elder Lawrence is not the person that comes to mind when you think of rap music. Kind of nerdy and awkward. Not your typical MC. But his rap was hilarious! HE rapped about opening his missionary call. His last line was: "I read it out loud, and I thought, oh great.....I forgot Arkansas was even a state...." and then we all went nuts, screaming and yelling, it was hilarious because no one expected him to be that good!

It's good memories and times like that where you really think: man, I'm gonna miss being a missionary.

Anyways I gotta go! Love y'all! Have a wonderful week!